Normally I do food reviews for restaurants, but I am going to do something a bit different this time. So humor me if you will. Actually it is pretty serious.
Dixie Care and Share- Dixie Care and Share - 131 North 300 West - St. George UT - 435-628-3661 -
Recently Dixie Care and Share had an open house to show the public what it is that they do. I never really took a tour of the place, because I thought it would be some horrible place where people took advantage of others and didn't really want to work to get their own food, housing or services. However that was very far from the truth. I guess that goes to show that I need to pay more attention to what is going on around me. Are you one of those people who think the same thing, or that you can't do anything to help?
Below is a letter that the new Director of Dixie Care and Share put out that day. Ruben Garcia is a man of compassion and just what Dixie Care and Share has needed. Maybe it's time for all of us to look beyond our own comfort zone and see how we can help others in need.
A lot of us doing a little bit will make a difference…
From 2007 through 2009, the number of families in homeless shelters– households with at least one adult and one minor child– leapt to 170,000 from 131,000, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development
Over 50% of youth in shelters on the streets report that their parents told them to leave or know they were leaving and did not care.
One in Four homeless youth come from the Foster Care System
33% of heterosexual homeless youth have been sexually abused
Less than one in four homeless children will graduate from high school
Every day 12 kids die on the streets of America
The future of our great country is in the hands of our children. How can we comfortably sleep at night when so many of our children are alone, scared and living homeless on the streets?
As the need for what we do at Dixie Care & Share continues to soar it is becoming more and more of a challenge to meet the demands. The outpouring of support we receive from the communities or Washington County, in the form of food and in-kind donations, is exceptional! We couldn’t ask for better volunteers. We are fortunate to enjoy numerous partnerships and collaborations with helping organizations throughout Washington County who support and champion our efforts as we do theirs!
There are substantial costs associated with dispatching services to those in need; and those costs are on the rise! We are in desperate need of on-going financial support so that we can continue to operate and meet the demands. “ A lot of us doing a little bit” is a call to the communities of Washington County for on-going financial support. $100.00 a month, $200.00 a month coming in on an on-going basis from businesses, private donors, service organizations etc. will make a tremendous difference and enable Dixie Care & Share to continue its mission of serving the growing needs of our less fortunate friends and neighbors who’ve fallen on hard times and who depend on services offered at Dixie Care &Share. Please help us continue to make a difference.
Ruben Garcia, Director
Pictures from Dixie Care and Share Open House
Mayor McArthur and his wife bunny showed up and see how much Dixie Care and Share was doing for our community and how much more needs to be done... If you are interested in taking a tour. Ruben or someone that is there would be happy to show you around.
Anyone can come to the pantry where they have breads, sweets, fruits and vegetables. Things change on a daily basis. If people are in need of food, they can go down there Monday thru Friday and get some food. If they are looking for food boxes, they can go down and sign up for those...
Food is always needed and it can be dropped off at Dixie Care and Share... They are also in need of cash donations to help pay the bills which include utilities and all the other stuff that goes into running a place like this...
Dixie Care and Share also offers clean warm beds. The men and women/children are in separate areas... They can get a shower and know they are safe. There are regulations however... Most of the rules are for the good of the person and others. Anyone can call Dixie Care and Share for more of the info on the shelter part.
This area is where people will eat together... They serve them a continental breakfast, bagged lunch and a hot dinner every day...
How you can share?
Make tax deductible financial donations
Volunteer (come join the team)
Support local food drives
Share the bounties of your gardens
Donate used printer cartridges
Become a business sponsor/contributor
Donate your old running vehicle
Provide business services or supplies
Have your family group, organization or Eagle Scout perform a service project.
My brother-in-law and husband had the Fish and Chips... It was a pretty good deal... The dinner special was around $6.00... They got three pieces of cod and a generous helping of fries...
